This disclosure relates to one-time programmable bitcell, and more specifically to a one-time programmable bitcell with reduced leakage at its anti-fuse device.
As the semiconductor industry continues to integrate more and more devices onto a single chip, the need for OTP memory on BCD (Bipolar CMOS DMOS) processes is increasing. High voltage devices (DMOS) are being added to standard logic (CMOS) processes. For example, LCD screens used on many smart phones and other screens use thin film transistors that operate at 32V. Accelerometers used to sense orientation in smart phones, acceleration in anti-lock brakes, and other MEMS devices usually operate between 40V and 60V. This has resulted in many BCD process that combine small, low voltage CMOS devices, high voltage DMOS devices, IO/bridge devices (typically 5V CMOS devices), and other devices all on one chip.
There is a desire to add NVM (Non Volatile Memory) into these chips as well. The NVM can be used to store analog calibration values. As one example, gamma correction for LCD screens can be stored in the NVM. When LCD screens are mass produced, the screens are designed to produce exactly the same color intensities. To correct for manufacturing variations, each screen is tested and a correction value (gamma) is stored on the LCD control chip to compensate for any small variation in manufacturing. As another example, code used by MEMS microcontroller chips can be stored as NVM on BCD chips. Currently available memory devices include EEPROM and eFLASH, both of which have disadvantages. eFLASH has a very small bitcell, but it requires steps in addition to the standard CMOS process, which increases the cost of producing the bitcell and may change the performance or characteristics of the produced devices. EEPROM is compatible with standard CMOS processes, but has a relatively large bitcell size, and thus is only suitable for low bit count memories.
As an alternative, One-Time Programmable (OTP) Gate Oxide rupture memories can be used as NVM on BCD chips. OTP Gate Oxide memories typically include an anti-fuse device having a thin oxide layer and a select device having a thicker oxide layer. The anti-fuse and select devices are connected in series. OTP Gate Oxide memories typically use an electric field of around 30 MV/cm to rupture anti-fuses in the thin oxide of the anti-fuse devices. This 30 MV/cm is a compromise voltage that balances the demands of programming speeds and stresses on the chip. Many applications program the OTP memory at test, and testing time is a significant portion of the total manufacturing cost of a chip. Using higher voltages reduces the programming time, thus reducing test costs and overall manufacturing cost. However, higher voltages place higher stress on the other devices in the memory, including the select device in the bitcell. Typically, 30 MV/cm provides a reasonable programming time and tolerable amount of stress on the peripheral devices. In a typically 0.13 um 1.5V/5V process, 30 MV/cm on the 1.5V device is around 10V. However, a 10V rupture voltage is often higher than the diode breakdown voltage between the source/drain and the well in which the bitcell is formed; the diode breakdown voltage is usually around 8.5V. As anti-fuses are blown during programming, a common leakage path between bitcells is created. The combined leakage of many previously-programmed bitcells makes it difficult to blow the anti-fuses in later-programmed bitcells.